


Blessed is the memory

by JustSemiotics



Series: The Leonard Cohen Variations [6]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Funeral, Gen, mentions of child death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 06:38:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9422801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustSemiotics/pseuds/JustSemiotics
Summary: Sherlock prepares his best friend’s funeral as meticulously as he prepared his best friend’s wedding.





	

Sherlock prepares his best friend’s funeral as meticulously as he prepared his best friend’s wedding. 

The memories come back, hazy still, but enough to work with them. 

He agonizes over the urn, contemplating a dark black one (the Black Pearl springs to mind, unbidden). Victor loved to climbed the rigg of whatever tree served as their ship that day, while Sherlock fought their enemies on board. There is a simple line art of a ship on the kitchen table, sails blowing in the wind, onwards to new adventures. 

In the end he chooses a rectangular urn that reminds him of a treasure chest, the dark wood interlaced with red. It might be to refined for the bones of a child, but Sherlock likes it immediately. Rosie seems to share the sentiment and John does not comment on both of them opening and closing it as soon as he checked that there is no ash in it yet. 

They loved the days when the wind blew and a soft drizzle turned the fields in the vast space of the sea. Mycroft allows Sherlock access to the most advanced weather forecast equipment the British government has. He does not ask, but it is assumed that he will be in attendance. 

The priest who baptized Victor is retired, but agrees to hold a short ceremony to Sherlock’s specific instructions. Sherlock couldn’t stand to be inside, not near Musgrave ever again, and so they gather outside in a soft rain. There is a small tombstone next to the bigger ones of Victor’s parents already, the earth roughed up for the smallest hole to finally add a body to the stone. Rosie is fascinated with the setting, trying to escape John’s arms to play in the mud. 

There are no songs because shanties were ruled out quite early in the process and Sherlock desperately wants to keep it together. In hindsight it might have been a bad idea in that regard to let Daddy read their beloved “The Song of the Pirate” then. He makes it to the line “And as the thunders loudly sound / And furious as the tempest rave / I calmly rest in sleep profound / So rocked upon the wave.” 

Rosie is pressed rather forcefully in his arms and he can hide his face in her curls, while she curiously explores his honey-colored jumper. He fleetingly thinks that they must not make a habit out of Rosie comforting him at funerals. But this time there is a hand on his back and they both know that he is here for all the other funerals John missed. The wind is picking up and John gently takes Rosie back.

“Give Redbeard the farewell he deserves, Sherlock.”

So Sherlock bends down, carefully aligning the urn with the stone. He does not intend to but ends up burying all of the urn himself, shoveling handful after handful of earth and smoothing it. He has just one more thing to do.

“Would you hand me the sword, Watson? No, stop hitting me. Though quite the swordsmanship you have there. Wanna keep it, hmmm?”

“You never know what adventures she might need it for, Sherlock.” 

“Oh fine. Just make sure you’ve got someone at your side, Watson.”

**Author's Note:**

> I just realized that they would have to bury Victor's remains at one point. 
> 
> Song for this is: "Blessed is the memory" (here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOq6FFUX2yw)
> 
> And if you want a bit more fluff (and parentlock), please visit londongypsy over here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9382205


End file.
